Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS) has proposed a 12-point recommendation aimed at alleviating traffic congestion in Dhaka, which includes a call to halt the registration of small vehicles such as motorcycles. BJKS Secretary General Mozammel Haque Chowdhury presented these recommendations at a press conference titled ‘Public transport crisis: The main source of Dhaka's terrible traffic congestion—city residents want relief’ held at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday. In his written speech, Mozammel Haque said, "The citizens of the capital are stuck in a terrible traffic jam because of the lack of respect for the rules and regulations of the passengers. It takes more than 4 to 5 hours to go from one end of the city to another. Jatri Kalyan Samity calls for end to Eid transport fare anarchy and road accidents Chowdhury said that traffic congestion in the capital is wasting approximately 8.2 million working hours each day. The excessive use of private vehicles contributes to the disorder on the roads, preventing people from benefiting from the improvements in public transport. According to BUET, he said, the annual financial loss caused by this traffic congestion amounts to Tk 50,000 crore. The recommendations put forth include the introduction of improved city bus services and the establishment of dedicated bus lanes through bus route rationalization. They called for a ban on the movement of slow vehicles, such as pedal rickshaws and easy bikes, on Dhaka's main road corridors, as well as ensuring that footpaths are reserved for pedestrians. If necessary, flyovers in the median of roads should be constructed to facilitate easier movement. Besides, the recommendations mention digitising traffic signals and implementing a camera-based enforcement system similar to those used in developed countries, allowing penalties for traffic violations to be deducted directly from the bank accounts of transport owners or drivers. They also advocate for prohibiting bike parking, loading, and unloading on main roads and enforcing the use of zebra crossings, foot overbridges, and underpasses for pedestrian crossings while banning hand crossings. The organisation called for the formation of a traffic congestion monitoring team with experts from the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), and the traffic department. This team would be responsible for identifying congestion issues and proposing immediate solutions. They also recommend exploring strategies to keep Dhaka’s entrances clear of traffic jams and suggest research-based adjustments to traffic signals at intersections. For example, signals at smaller intersections with two or three lanes should remain green for one to two minutes, while those at larger intersections with three or four lanes should last for two to three minutes. The recommendations also include the establishment of temporary terminals, such as converting the area near Gulistan Park into a terminal to alleviate congestion on Mayor Mohammed Hanif Flyover. Traffic expert Kamrul Hasan, Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, joint secretary general of the AB Party, Tawhidul Haque Liton, vice president of Jatri Kalyan Samity, M Monirul Haque, joint secretary general, Publicity Secretary Mahamudul Hasan Russell and others shared their insights at the event.

The much-awaited Dhaka Elevated Expressway – one of the mega infrastructure projects implemented by the current government – is set to open today (September 02, 2023) with big hopes of easing Dhaka’s traffic congestion and commuting costs by reducing travel time to a great extent. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Kawla-Farmgate section of the elevated expressway, Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader had said. Read : Elevated expressway marks first of 9 megaprojects to be inaugurated before election The Dhaka Elevated Expressway will be open to traffic from 6 am tomorrow (September 03, 2023). The authorities have set the speed limit at 60 km while motorbikes and bicycles will not be allowed on the expressway. Once opened, it will take 10 minutes for a vehicle with a speed of up to 60km per hour to reach Farmgate from Kawla. About 80,000 vehicles will be able to pass through the Dhaka Elevated Expressway every day, project officials say. Read : Metro Rail and Padma Bridge prove AL believes in deeds, not words: Quader As per project details, the first contract was signed on January 19, 2011 and the reviewed agreement was signed on December 15, 2013, and the project completion period was from July 2011 to June 2024. The total length of the elevated expressway is 46.73 km including 19.73 km of the main elevated part. The Dhaka Elevated Expressway will cover Kawla, Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Kamalapur, Sayedabad, Jatrabari to Qutubkhali on Dhaka-Chattogram highway. Vehicles plying on Dhaka Elevated Expressway will have to pay tolls, which will be collected in four categories. Read : PM to inaugurate Agargaon-Motijheel section of Dhaka Metro Rail on Oct 20

Motijheel and its adjacent areas witnessed a huge traffic jam on Tuesday morning as workers of a RMG factory blocked roads protesting relocation of their factory to Keraniganj. According to the workers, the authority of Olio Apparels Ltd has relocated the factory from North Kamalapur area in the capital to Keraniganj without any prior notice. At least 400 to 500 workers put up barricade at different points in Motijheel area at 8:30 am, hampering movement of vehicles, said Yasir Arafat, officer-in-Charge of Motijheel police station.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday stressed the need for building subways to free Dhaka from traffic congestion. The government has taken up a project to construct subways in Dhaka city and a draft of the project titled ‘Feasibility study for the construction of the subway in Dhaka city' has been prepared, he said. Read:Dhaka commuters endure awful traffic jam for 2nd day Obaidul said this at a seminar held to elicit opinion on the project at a hotel in the city. Drawing the attention of the two Dhaka city mayors who were present at the seminar, the minister said “Dhaka is a city of pollution and to make Dhaka a livable city new plans are needed.” Talking about the planned subways, TYPSA, an advisory firm of Spain proposed 11 route alignments for the 238-km long Dhaka Subway network. Of the total the government has a plan to construct 105-km long four routes by 2030, Obaidul said. Four routes are--- - 34.92km route stretching from Jhilmil via Tongi Junction route with 24 stations. The approximate expenditure of each km route is estimated at Tk 2,388 crore. - 22.89km route stretching from Gabtoli via Bholabo union with 14 stations. The expenditure cost of each km is estimated at Tk 2,158 crore. - 25.22 km from Keraniganj via Sonapur union with 15 stations. The total expenditure cost of each km is estimated at Tk 2,217 crore. - 45.11 km long route from Jahangirnagar University to Narayanganj route with 32 stations. Possible expenditure per km is estimated at Tk 2,312 crore. There will be no barriers in the land acquisition process as the subways will be constructed 25-70 meter deep under the earth, he said adding “Half of the residents of Dhaka city can move through the subways while the top of the ground would be free from traffic jams.” Meanwhile, a deal was signed between China Shandong International Economic &Technical Cooperation Group Ltd (CSI) and Bangladesh Bridge Authority for constructing a 6.5 km two-story expressway from Panchabati of Narayanganj to Muktarpur Bridge of Munshiganj district. Read: Dhaka dwellers suffer amid unusual traffic gridlock Secretary of Bridge Division Manjur Hossain was present there. Project Director of road expansion and two-story expressway from Panchabati of Narayanganj to Muktarpur Bridge of Munshiganj district, Shafiqul Islam and Lyu Jin, a representative of the contractor firm signed the agreement, involving Tk 1200 crore on behalf of their respective field.

Students from seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University blocked Nilkhet intersection in the capital on Wednesday morning, protesting the postponement of their ongoing examinations.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh on Tuesday said he hoped that the first piloting of the proposed bus route from Ghatarchar to Kanchpur will be completed within this year.

The periphery of the proposed pilot route will be extended from Ghatarchar to Kachpur under the Bus Route Rationalisation activities to bring discipline to the mass transportation sector.

A recent spurt in coronavirus cases an deaths over the past few weeks could not deter people from overcrowding the city streets and public transports.

Although the country has been recording an increasing number of coronavirus cases over the past few weeks, the capital has returned to its old expression of overcrowd and traffic congestion on Sunday.